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This special issue of United Methodist NeXusPLUS focuses on anoverview of acollaboration by UnitedMethodist leaders tocraft a plan for thedenomination's future.The proposals outlinedin this special report willbe considered at the2008 GeneralConference in FortWorth, TX.
By Cynthia B. Astle
UM NeXus Editor 
Newly elected delegates to the 2008 GeneralConference will want to note that the agenda – theauthentic agenda, not merely the processing of thousands of petitions on varied topics – alreadyhas been set by a remarkable collaborationamong the denomination's bishops and board andagency executives and directors.With a single-mindedness atypical of pastcompetition for resources, UMC leaders at thehighest levels have collaborated on an agendawith a single goal: to prevent the demise of the13.7 million-member global United MethodistChurch, either through schism caused bytheological politics or through numerical decline.This collaboration has resulted in three recentdevelopments that will be top priorities for the April 23-May 2, 2008 session in Fort Worth,Texas. They are:1) Four "mission initiatives" designed to redirectthe denomination away from political battles;2) A $642 million, four-year budget based on themission initiatives, prepared in May by theConnectional Table and the General Council onFinance and Administration;3) A "state of the church" report released in June,based on clergy and laity surveys that give apsychosocial picture of what United Methodiststhink about the denomination's current state andfuture prospects.These three developments will be influenced by afourth: the report of the task force on the globalnature of the church, which is likely to proposethat the church in the United States become aseparate region, with its own Book of Discipline.The effort to save the UMC began early in the2005-2008 term after conservatives at the 2004General Conference openly proposed an"amicable separation" of the denomination, mainlyover whether the church should change its stancesthat currently hold homosexual behavior as"incompatible with Christian teaching." The phrasereflects the theological battle over the authority of Scripture that lies at the heart of the division.In an effort to revive the moribund UMC, in 2005the Council of Bishops identified "seven pathways"to transform the denomination:
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New church development
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Transforming existing congregations
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Racial/ethnic ministries
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Leadership development
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Reaching children
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Eliminating poverty
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Teaching the Wesleyan model of disciple-making
Four mission initiatives
The four mission initiatives emerged publicly inNovember 2006 as "provocative propositions"presented to the 60-member Connectional Table, aVolume 2, Number 1
Special Report: A Vision for A Future
 
Please see ‘A Vision', page 2
NeXus PLUS
ispublished as a benefitfor members of UnitedMethodist NeXusPLUS and PLUSPremium. Annual non-member subscriptionsare available. For moreinformation, call1-(888) 785-1050.
The cover of "This Is Our Story" shows statistics on TheUnited Methodist Church compiled by the General Council on Finance and Administration.
 
 
NeXus PLUS
body created by the 2004 GeneralConference to coordinate mission andministry after delegates axed the previousCouncil of Ministries. The proposals,renamed "mission initiatives" this Spring,were chosen from among more than 50ideas generated in a collaboration amongUnited Methodist general boards andagencies, sparked by the bishops' "sevenpathways."From these ideas, the Connectional Tablesynthesized four proposals as key to therevitalization and growth of the UMC:
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Develop new leaders
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Build congregations
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Partner with the poor 
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Combat the preventable diseasesof poverty, such as HIV/AIDS,malaria and tuberculosisGeneral Conference will be asked toapprove the four initiatives as the outline for the denomination's work over the 2009-2012program term.Over the past year, even before the"provocative proposals" had been selectedby the Connectional Table, the GeneralBoard of Global Ministries and UnitedMethodist Communications seized on globalhealth as a quick success. The UMC haspartnered with the United NationsFoundation, Sports Illustrated and NBACares, the charitable foundation of theNational Basketball Association, in the"Nothing But Nets" campaign, whichprovides insecticide-treated mosquito nets inmalaria-prone areas of the world, especially Africa. In late May, the Rev. GaryHenderson, a pastor from Euclid, OH, wasnamed to direct the UMC's growing globalhealth initiative. A massive public relations campaign to getannual conferences, local churches andindividuals behind the "mission initiatives"program is now under way via UnitedMethodist Communications.UMCom exexcutive, the Rev. Larry Hollonauthored a "unity resolution" outlining the"mission initiatives" that has been circulatingamong United Methodist boards andagencies this Spring. In a May 25 story by
 A Vision for A Future
from page 1
 Page 2 of 4
United Methodist News Service, Hollonwas quoted: "I think what we're saying isthat it's time to be very serious aboutcollaboration … I think there's a deepyearning in the church for focus andunity."Hollon's agency also sponsored an onlinetown hall meeting titled "Celebrating aGenerous Church" on April 17 in whichboard executives and Bishop JaniceRiggle Huie, president of the Council of Bishops, outlined the plan. A transcript of the event -- which apparently garneredlittle interest among rank-and-file UMs,since at least two of the public questionscame from agency staffers – is posted onthe UMC's web site, www.umc.org (see'Resources' on page 3).
$642 million budget for 2009-2012
Even before consideration at the 2008General Conference, the four missioninitiatives have influenced the creation of the 2009-2012 budget proposal to comebefore General Conference. The budgetwas prepared in May at a joint session of the Connectional Table and the GeneralCouncil on Finance and Administration –the first time the two entities had met toform a financial plan for the denomination.The process was also the first time thatagency budgets were submittedaccording to a business-based model thatfocused on outcome, as opposed to line-item compilations. The new model intendsto make it easier for congregations andindividuals to see how the money they putin the offering plate will be spent and whatdifference the spending is intended tomake, according to GCFA staff. In other words, the budget has beenreconstructed as a mission documentto show how the church's giving willhelp to "transform the world," as theUMC's official mission states.The two agencies trimmed some $39million from budget requests, but thebudget still totals a 4.8 percentincrease in apportionments – the fair-share contributions levied againstcongregations to support mission andministry beyond local churches.Furthermore, the budget is predicatedupon an 88 percent payout of apportionments, since fewcongregations and annual conferencespay 100 percent of the fair-shareassessment.
'State of the Church' survey
Results from the "State of the Church"survey commissioned by theConnectional Table in 2005 providedsome encouragement as UnitedMethodist leaders contemplated theenormous changes they're asking thedenomination to make. A June 1 storyby Marta Aldrich of United MethodistNews Service reported that "UnitedMethodists have a deep love for their church and passion for their beliefs"and "are also both hopeful andconcerned about the future of TheUnited Methodist Church."The $300,000 study conducted byMartec Research also shows thatdissonances loom between the missioninitiatives and United Methodists' viewson similar topics. For instance, church
These graphs from "This Is Our Story" show that while United Methodist churches continue togain constituents, those participants are not proceeding to take membership vows and formally  join the denomination.
Illustration from "This Is Our Story" by GCFA
 
Please see ‘A Vision', page 3
 
 
Resources 
"Town Hall Meeting" transcript
,United Methodist Communications
 
http://www.umc.org/atf/cf/%7BDB6A45E4-C446-4248-82C8-E131B6424741%7D/A%20GENEROUS%20CHURCH%20TOWN%20HALL _TRANSCRIPT.PDF
"This Is Our Story"
statistical reportprepared by the Research United of the General Council on Finance and Administrationhttp://www.gcfa.org/PDFs/THISISOURSTORY-Final%20w-revision5-2-07.pdf 
"This Is Our Story" study guidefor local churches
 http://www.gcfa.org/PDFs/studyGuide.pdf 
"Provocative PropositionsExecutive Summary"
 http://www.umc.org/atf/cf/%7BDB6A45E4-C446-4248-82C8-E131B6424741%7D/Provocative%20Propositions10%2020%2007.pdf 
United Methodist News Servicereports:
"Connectional Table affirms four 'provocative proposals' " 
http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.2221635/k.EC98/Connectional_ Table_affirms_four_provocative_ proposals.htm
"Consultation explores global natureof the church" 
 http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=3941409
"State of the Church report encourages dialogue" 
 http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=3931559
"Unprecedented unity builds for mission initiatives " 
 http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=3911027
"Plan would pave way for U.S.regional conference" 
 http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2429867&ct=3848677
NeXus PLUS
Page 3 of 4
leaders want to attract young people ages 18 to30, but they're not willing to change practices andinvest money to do so. In addition, UnitedMethodist pastors think they're not well trained,well-supervised or assigned to churchesappropriately – not much job incentive with whichto attract younger people to ordained ministry. About 3,000 United Methodist clergy, lay leadersand members from across the globe wereinterviewed between June and September 2006.The report is intended to stimulate dialogue aboutthe church. United Methodist Communicationssays it will have a web site about the reportoperating by mid-June.United Methodist bishops, board executives andother participants in the Connectional Table haveclearly worked hard to come up with a plan for thedenomination's future. Often unspoken when thevision is promoted, however, are two "elephants inthe room:"
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How close The United Methodist Churchcame to breaking apart at the 2004 GeneralConference in Pittsburgh, PA, and
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The ongoing impact of the UMC'smembership decline in the United States,which provides the bulk of funding for thedenomination worldwide.
It's still theology
The first concern – the threat of schism – poses anoverarching theological and political dilemma. TheUnited Methodist Church turns 40 years old nextyear, and every General Conference since itscreation has been wracked by rancorous discordover theology and politics, embodied in theongoing battle over the church's condemnation of homosexual behavior and its ban on LGBT peoplein ordained ministry.The church's stances regarding homosexualpeople are often seen as the presenting issue of adeeper theological conflict:
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Whether one accepts The Holy Bible as theinerrant word of God with all its preceptsequally valid, or 
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Whether one interprets Scripture using ahistorical-critical method that recognizes theBible as written by inspired humans who werenonetheless captive to their culture and times. As if they needed more instruction than their pastexperience, United Methodist leaders no doubt areobserving the recent agonies endured by the
 A Vision for a Future
from page 2
 
Episcopal Church (USA), which has beencensured by its own Anglican Communion becauseof its acceptance of LGBT people and has begunto fragment over the issue. Perceptive andpragmatic, United Methodist leaders clearly aim tosidestep similar travails by redirecting thedenomination's attention to the mission initiativesand their accompanying budget. Two of the four mission initiatives -- ministry with the poor anderadicating diseases linked to poverty – specificallyrepresent the type of on-the-ground mission atwhich United Methodists historically excel andwhich they support no matter what their theology or politics.
And it's still the numbers
The second concern – the ongoing impact of U.S.membership decline – speaks to whether the UMCwill have any future whatsoever. The other twomission initiatives – developing leaders andbuilding congregations – are tied to this reality. According to the recently published statisticalreport, "This Is Our Story," from the GeneralCouncil on Finance and Administration, thepercentage of the 34,925 U.S. congregations thatfailed to take in even one adult member byprofession of faith continues to hover around 43percent. However, the report found an unsettlingsurprise in its aggregate statistics: The group of smallest-membership churches brought in thesame total of new members as the group of largest-membership churches – about 30,000members annually for each segment.In other words, the largest churches may benumerically bigger, but they aren't necessarilybetter at inviting people without religious affiliationto profess faith in Jesus Christ and join the church.Given that the United States now has four generations of adults with no ties to an organizedfaith community, this lack of skill poses a major obstacle in translating Christian faith for contemporary audiences – let alonecommunicating the "Wesleyan traditions" that fewUnited Methodists themselves understand in full.Furthermore, getting bodies into the pews formsonly half of the issue. The other half is gettingthose bodies to put their hands into their walletsand deposit money into the offering plate. It'ssimple math: The United Methodist Church in America foots practically all the bill for the entireglobal denomination, from one-time missionprojects to bishops' pensions in the Central
Please see 'A Vision,' page 4
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